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Friday, October 28, 2016

When the film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice came to theaters I decided that I had no interest in watching two of my favorite superheroes fight. When it came to DVD my curiosity got the best of me and I rented it. Visually this film is very dark which made it hard to stay interested. The angst of the characters is well done with anger and strategic fighting. The performances are good, I really liked Lex Luthor. An OK rental.

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

There is so much drama in the early history of the United States. Film mines this regularly. In Free State of Jones the life of Newton Knight rebelling against the confederates with farmers and slaves in the south is inspiring, dangerous and violent. The aspect of interracial couples being against the law still blows my mind and is told well in this film in a side-plot. A good film that is tough to watch at times. Decent rental.

Friday, October 14, 2016

Ihttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110997/?ref_=nv_sr_1n the 90s my daughter would watch the film The River Wild regularly. Not sure if it was on cable, or if she and her friends just kept renting it, but she always used to say how much Kevin Bacon freaked her out. His portrayal of a bad guy is menacing and ruthless. The 20 year old thriller holds up and we get Meryl Streep as an action hero. Crazy rafting scenes combined with the kidnapping story keeps the viewer in suspense. Well done with a bit of a corny ending. Good rental.

In The Infiltrator Bryan Cranston climbs behind the makeup once again to portray Robert Mazur, an undercover customs agent flushing out drug money launderers in the 80s. The danger and risk is well represented. A good rental.

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

I tried to let the Ghostbusters remake have a life of its own. Without comparing it to the original, this film is clunky and a bit of a mess. It teeters on what could have been a lot more fun as the writing and performances were good. The sets and effects were overdone and sloppy. The best scenes were the pared down visuals with a good gag. There were too few of these for me. As a rental, this movie has its moments, but it's just ok. Great cast and fun cameos made it worth seeing for me.

Sunday, October 09, 2016

When a woman can't remember the events of a critical evening we are in for a decent mystery. I spoiled the mystery of The Girl on the Train by reading the book first. Even thought I knew who-done-it I enjoyed the film. As always, there is a lot more in the book and the page-turning scenes were more dramatic as a read. I feel like the story was brought to the screen in a more subtle fashion. This is a decent psychological thriller.

Saturday, October 08, 2016

A young man struggles with sobriety in a high profile family. Where he lands is very satisfying. Being Charlie is a personal story of recovery that is well written and performed. This film is a decent rental.

The recounting of a slave uprising is violent and disturbing. The Birth of a Nation shows us the life of Nat Turner from childhood to revolution. Stylized and graphic, this film gave me a gut-punch of reality that was uncomfortable and necessary.

Thursday, October 06, 2016

A suicide brings a group of friends together on a guys weekend that has awkward, weird and poignant moments. In Joshy a cast of talented comedians show their acting chops in this drama with a light touch. An OK rental.

Saturday, October 01, 2016

Frank Zappa was a composer, musician, advocate and outspoken artist. In the documentary Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words we learn of his diversity and creativity through interviews. He tells his own story, expresses his views and passions in archive footage. Such an interesting man. Such an interesting life. The credits end with Zappa saying, "Vote like a beast." I wonder what he'd think of today's political climate. It's an interesting piece of music history. Loved this film.